GPs take the lead for local health care commissioning

Interim local GP appointments to the HMR CCG board: Dr Bob Wood, Dr Lynn Hampson, Dr Chris Duffy, Dr Hazel Platts and Dr Paul Laker

From this month, Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning Group (HMR CCG) is the new shadow organisation which will be responsible for deciding how taxpayers’ money is spent on health care for Rochdale borough residents.

This new organisation will take over many of the responsibilities of NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale (NHS HMR), which will close down in March 2013 like all PCTs across the country, in line with the recent NHS reforms.

HMR CCG will look at what and how much to spend on healthcare such as community services, mental health, hospital operations and prescribing of drugs.

Five key interim local GP appointments have been made to the HMR CCG board. These include: 

• Dr Chris Duffy – Clinical Chairman and lead for long term conditions
• Dr Paul Laker – Clinical Vice Chairman and lead for community services, adult safeguarding, and children and maternity
• Dr Lynn Hampson – Rochdale East CCG locality lead and lead for hospital care, heart and lung care, cancer, palliative and end of life care
• Dr Hazel Platts – Rochdale West CCG locality lead and lead for prescribing
• Dr Bob Wood – Heywood and Middleton CCG locality lead and lead for IT and mental health

Joining the GP leads in the new organisation as Interim Chief Officer/Accountable Officer, Lesley Mort said: “This is a very exciting time for the CCG in its journey to becoming a statutory body in 2013, and I am delighted to join my clinical colleagues to help them commission the best possible services for the people of Rochdale Borough.

"The CCG has inherited a strong legacy position from the PCT which will stand us in good stead to move forward with confidence to do the best we can as a new organisation with clinician leadership and decision making at the forefront.”

Dr Chris Duffy, Chairman of Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning Group said: “Each individual brings a wealth of experience and professional knowledge that, combined together, gives HMR CCG an excellent start.

"We have a great opportunity to develop the Clinical Commissioning Group into a strong, patient-focused and clinically-led organisation that is absolutely driven by the single vision of improving quality and patient outcomes.”

These interim posts will officially take charge of the established Clinical Commissioning Group by April 2013.